Majors win 5-2
The Toronto Maple Leafs began the second half of their 2015 season leading the IBL in hitting (.328) and home runs (23). They have shown themselves capable of beating any team in the league -- but they are also capable of beating themselves, as they lead the league in errors.
Such was the case yesterday, a sunny Canada Day in the Forest City. The Leafs committed three errors in one inning, allowing the London Majors to take a three-run lead and an eventual win.
Tough luck for Brett Van Pelt, who pitched seven solid innings and lowered his ERA by giving up just two earned runs. The southpaw has been having a brilliant season, but keeps falling victim to bad breaks.
Tough luck for Toronto's bats, as their big blasts all stayed in the park, and they couldn't get a rally going in the late innings. The V-necks scratched out five singles over nine, and left seven men on base.
Tough luck for Jon Waltenbury (above), who collided with Cleveland Brownlee on a play at first base in the fifth inning. As he reached to his left to catch a throw to record the out, Waltenbury came into contact with the Stone Mountain in human form. He hyperextended his elbow and went to the ground briefly, but walked off the field moments later. Nothing a couple of stiff drinks won't fix.
Tough luck for the person with the least enviable job in the IBL: the poor soul who had to relay play-by-play from the game back to Etobicoke. Three errors in one inning. The Owner will have been strangling invisible enemies in his sleep last night.
No time to wallow. The Leafs next face the Red Stockings of Brantford for three games this weekend, and can get right back into it with a good run.
Game Recap:
The annual Canada Day Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the London Majors was played under sunny skies before a near-capacity crowd at Labatt Park. The Leafs already-patriotic uniforms were complimented by the Majors, who wore special red hats emblazoned with the Pearson Pennant on one side.
Starters Luis Pina and Brett Van Pelt traded scoreless innings to start the game.
The Leafs jumped to an early lead in the top of the second. Leftfielder Raul Borjas and centerfielder Tyler Mitchell led off with singles. After Pina got the next two batters out, Shortstop Ryan White walked to load the bases. Majors third baseman Alex Martinez then committed an error on a ball hit to him by rightfielder Connor Lewis. That allowed Borjas and Mitchell to score and give the Leafs a 2-0 lead midway through the 2nd.
London got the runs right back off the bat of leftfielder Michael Ambrose, who hit a two-run home run off Van Pelt to make it 2-2 after two.
The Leafs fell victim to three errors in the bottom of the third, and it ended up costing them. Centerfielder Humberto Ruiz led off by reaching first on a throwing error by White. Ruiz then stole second and moved to third on a high throw to second by catcher Brendan Keyes that went to the outfield. A single by shortstop Paul Lytwynec drove in Ruiz. Second baseman Cody Mombourquette followed with a single. First baseman Cleveland Brownlee then reached first safely on a throwing error by Van Pelt, and Lytwynec scored. Mombourquette eventually scored the third unearned run of the inning on a sac fly by DH Brett Sabourin. When the dust had settled, the Majors had taken a 5-2 lead at the end of three innings.
And that was it for scoring on this day. The Leafs went down in order in the 4th and 5th innings. London got a lone single in the 6th. The Leafs drew a walk in the 7th. Relievers Owen Boon and Kyle Redinger came on in the 8th inning, and they both kept the game scoreless.
DH Damon Topolie singled in the 9th, but ended up stranded on first as Boon got out of the inning with the save and the 5-2 final for London.
Toronto 2-5-3
London 5-7-1
W - Pina (5-2, 2.29)
L - Van Pelt (2-2, 3.22)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are now 10-9 and in fifth place, 5.5 games behind the Barrie Baycats. Their next game is in Brantford this Friday, July 3 as they face the Red Sox in the first of three straight games.
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